The 2024 T20 World Cup is a few weeks away and the biggest question of who will be the Team India wicketkeeper remains unanswered.

This predicament also sums up Coach Rahul Dravid’s clustered mindset who is yet to decide on the player who will be behind the wickets for Team India in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Rahul Dravid had the full-time span of 2 years since the last T20 World Cup to build a team.

Till 6 months back, Ishan Kishan was India’s choice Wicket Keeper but with Ishan’s recent fallout with the management in the South African series,things have been different with the southpaw.

India’s ODI first-choicewicketkeeper, KL Rahul lost his place in the T20 due to a poor 2023 season. For a year KL Rahul did not play any T20 cricket and multiple players wereauditioned for the wicketkeeper role including Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurelbut Ishan Kishan came out trumps. In most portion of the 2023 season, Ishan made the wicketkeeper position his own in the T20 Format.

The T20 Format is not about having the best bowler or batsman in the team. The format ideally requires the best-balanced team for the conditions they play.

After the inaugural T20 Championship win, India has struggled to play a settled balanced T20 team.

While an Indian player is expected to play all 3 formats, many successful internationalteams have focussed on building exclusive players for the T20 format.

This has helped England and Australia to lift the T20 Championship in the past few T20 World Cups.

Serious injuries in a car accident kept Rishabh Pant out of action for almost 2 years. Ishan Sharma was the next keeper choice then.

Today, Rishabh Pant has fully recovered and is playing well in the ongoing IPL.

Though he is back in action, Rishabh Pant has not yet cemented his position in the shortest format.

India’s Wicket Keeper Choices

While there is Dhruv Juriel, Jitesh Sharma, Dinesh Kartik in the midst. it is most likely that the Indian selection team will choose from the players below

• Ishan Kishan
• Rishab Pant
• KL Rahul
• Sanju Samson

The T20 World Cup 2024 is just round the corner and there will be pressure on the selection team to pick their wicket keeper choice. India in the past has erred in the final selection especially days before the World Cup.

India can only take 1 or a maximum 2 wicket keepers in the 15-member slot.

Some experts believe that India may lose balance in the squad if more than 1 wicket keeper is picked.

KL Rahul

KL Rahul though has been out of action for almost a year in T20 Internationals, he will be Rahul Dravid’s first choice wicketkeeper.

What gives him an edge over others is his experience in the team and he can bat in middle order and if required at the top of the batting order too.

While he may be a weaker wicket keeper among the other contenders, he will be Coach’s first choice. But is he a better T20 player?

Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant back in the cricket field is the most pleasing sight in this year’s IPL.

But would that just be good enough for the Southpaw to directly enter the playing eleven without any international exposure for the last 2 years?

Pant made a strong case for himself with a 24-ball-41 for Delhi Capitals in the ongoing IPL season. He has already hit 2 half-centuries in 6 games for Delhi Capitals in their 6 games so far.

The IPL 2024 is the first tournament that Pant is playing in since his near-fatal accident back in 2022 and he has shown the form of his past which is very encouraging to all.

Pant has scored 194 runs in six matches till now with a solid economy rate of 157.72.

Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson has been enjoying a tremendous run of form for Rajasthan Royals. Sanju has already scored 246 runs in 6 matches with 3 half-centuries.

Sanju too like KL Rahul can be effective in the middle order which gives him an edge.

Cricket Fans will argue that Sanju Samson’sform dips when it comes to Internationals and major tournaments and more than enough chances have been given to Sanju who failed to cement his position.

Ishan Kishan

Ishan Kishan is currently in great form and giving impactful starts for the Mumbai Indian team. His glove work behind the stumps have never been in question and this will help him to be a front runner for the wicket keeper’s position.

Kishan has scored 161 runs at a strike rate of 182.95.

While team India has three to four openers Ishan Kishan is most effective in the opening position which may go against the south paw.

Ishan Kishan is most effective as an opener and with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli likely to make it to the final 15, Ishan Kishan may unfortunately miss out.

Conclusion

Indian Selectors have made shocking selection decisions in the past and we may see yet another shocker for the Wicketkeeper position too.

KL Rahul for his batting would ideally make the cut as a wicketkeeper choice.

Having persisted with Ishan Kishan for so longand with his current form, Ishan Kishan would ideally be the best choice for Team India but Rishabh Pant may get the final nod as a pure emotional call.